Tsunami news used to hide rogueware

Cybercriminals are using news reports about the deadly tsunamis that have struck in the Pacific Ocean.

Security experts have warned surfers to be on their guard against fake news reports about the tsunamis that have struck in Samoa and Tonga.

Cybercriminals are attempting to spread rogueware, often referred to as scareware or Fake AV, by exploiting interest in the deadly tidal waves.

The criminals construct fake web pages that claim to contain news about the disaster, using a technique known as search engine optimisation to push the pages higher up search result lists.

“These SEO poisoning attacks usually exploit major news topics, the latest of which is the 29 September earthquake off Samoa, which triggered a tsunami warning for numerous South Pacific islands, as well as Hawaii,” security firm F-Secure said in a statement.

Anyone clicking on the links will be directed to a site that informs you that your PC has an infection and demands you pay up to install a program to remove it.

The BBC has some videos of the aftermath of the tsunami, which killed at least 100 people in several Pacific islands though the full death toll is not yet known.

In the meantime, an earthquake has struck close to Sumatra in Indonesia, causing damage to buildings and unconfirmed reports of deaths, reports say.